The invention relates to a machine tool comprising a machine frame with an underframe and a machine column ("machine stand") seated on this and having a support ring, a support ("carrier") mounted on the support ring for rotation about an essentially vertical axis, several workpiece receiving means for the workpieces to be machined arranged on the support, an operating space which extends around the vertical axis and in which the workpiece receiving means can be moved around the vertical axis due to rotation of the support, and a plurality of stations which are arranged on the machine frame in the region of the operating area and in which the workpiece receiving means can be positioned during a machining cycle.
Machine tools of this type are known from the state of the art. Such a machine tool is described, for example, in German patent application 195 04 369.3-14.
In the case of machine tools of this type there is the problem that the support has, together with the workpiece receiving means, a very large mass which is accelerated, on the one hand, and braked, on the other hand, during passage through the individual stations and so the machine frame, in particular, the machine column itself must absorb considerable forces acting in azimuthal direction in relation to the vertical axis.
In addition, there is not only the problem of absorbing the considerable forces acting in azimuthal direction during the acceleration and braking of the support but also the problem of positioning the support together with the workpiece receiving means in the individual stations with great precision and great rigidity in order to attain a high precision during the machining of the workpieces in the individual stations.